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November 28, 2020

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

Point of View Op-Ed

What Happened in the Election in a Red Talbot County and Why by David Reel

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To say 2020 was a year of constant unexpected events is a huge understatement. No area of our lives were exempt including events in the political world. A much talked about blue wave in the 2020 general elections turned out to be a blue trickle almost everywhere. Almost everywhere. In Talbot County (where I live), Joe Biden narrowly edged Donald Trump by 116 votes. That is the first time a Democrat presidential candidate has carried Talbot County since Lyndon Johnson beat Barry Goldwater in 1964. The winning margin for Biden was razor thin but a win in is a win.
What happened and what’s next?

First some history.

In 2016, the Talbot County vote for Donald Trump was 10,724 versus 8,653 for Hillary Clinton.

In 2018, the county vote for Larry Hogan was 14,081 versus 3,957 for Ben Jealous.

Clearly Talbot County voters TWICE overwhelmingly rejected progressive candidates and progressive platforms.

In 2020, the county vote for Donald Trump was 10,946 and 11,062 for Joe Biden. 2020 Trump votes were comparable to his 2016 totals; but Biden’s exceeded Hillary Clinton’s by 2,000 + votes!

One has to ask — what happened between November 2018 and November 2020?

How did a progressive at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket with one of the most progressive running mates in history (and who garnered less than 2% of the vote in Democratic primaries before dropping out); win in Talbot County

We may never know for sure without voter focus groups. That said, I offer the following thoughts.

This election was a referendum on Donald Trump’s personality, NOT on his performance. Until the pandemic, his record on economic growth with historically low unemployment rates for Blacks and females were quantifiable and impressive.

That did not go unnoticed by China who was aggressively called out by Donald Trump as a serious threat to America and to the world. Donald Trump also initiated actions against China and they in turn responded… HARD.

China deliberately, maliciously and secretly released a virus that led to a shutdown of a booming United States economy. Despite most of the shutdowns being ordered and largely managed by governors, Donald Trump was blamed.

Pundits, pollsters and the media (often wrong, but never in doubt), engaged in an almost continuous campaign to discredit Donald Trump since the day he was first elected. On a daily basis they downplayed Donald Trump’s achievements and largely ignored Joe Biden’s shortcomings including the fragile state of his health and his son’s involvement with Burisma.

During one of the debates, “moderator” Chris Wallace went so far as to say the American public doesn’t care about Burisma, but they do care about global warming. That may be true in the insular echo chamber where Wallace lives and works but like so many of the pollsters media and pundits he was wrong, just as they were 4 years ago.

The media and pundits also advanced a narrative that Joe Biden is a moderate. He is not, but that misinformation campaign worked.

Even some Eastern Shore media was complicit in piling on Donald Trump. At least three individuals who penned guest commentaries bashing the President had them published. One opined that Donald Trump committed ALL the seven cardinal sins of the Roman Catholic Church! The author of that piece later acknowledged that column was a “stinker” (his words not mine). In another column, Donald Trump was referred to as a “sleazy New York City real estate developer”. This steady drumbeat of vitriol against Donald Trump took a toll on his electability in Talbot County and elsewhere.

Some Biden voters may have yearned for a return to the policies of the Obama years. They likely saw Biden as Obama 2.0.

Biden voters ignored or chose not to acknowledge the odds of Kamala Harris becoming president sooner rather than later if they are in fact sworn in to office.

Given the forecasts that Maryland would vote overwhelmingly for Joe Biden, perhaps some voters concluded, I might as well join the herd and vote for the presumed winner.

Another factor in Talbot County is the ongoing immigration of voters from other parts of Maryland and the country. These voters may be bringing their voting preferences with them. Conversely increasing numbers of older, generally more conservative county voters are leaving the area due to regularly absorbing tax increases or, sad to say, due to succumbing to mortality.

Talbot County politics may be turning purple. Time will tell. The impact of 25+% of voters now registering unaffiliated is a matter that bears watching. Right now, Talbot County Democrats are feeling good about a Democrat Presidential candidate carrying Talbot County for the first time in 56 years. My advice to them is — “Enjoy it while you can”.

If Joe Biden or Kamala Harris are sworn in and push hard to advance a progressive agenda that the progressive wing of the Democratic party is demanding (as expected), a significant number of Talbot County voters who voted for Democrats in 2020 MAY have serious buyer’s remorse and vote accordingly in the near future.

David Reel is Maryland Director for Quantum Communications, a public affairs and public relations consulting firm. He currently serves as Chair of the Republican Central Committee of Talbot County.

 

So Many Reasons to be Grateful this Thanksgiving by J.E. Dean and Maria Grant

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As we celebrate our national day of Thanksgiving in a truly miserable year, we should set aside the negatives, even for a day. There is much to be thankful for even while remembering that millions of us across the country face an economic crisis rivaling the Great Depression and that more than 1,000 of us die from COVID-19 each day.

Here is our list:

Vaccines on the horizon. We have not one, but three (as of this writing) vaccines that, pending FDA approval for emergency distribution, could be available as early as December.  It will be a little longer for most of us to get our shots, but there is light at the end of our pandemic tunnel.

Health care workers.  The sacrifices these heroes make every day are truly remarkable. How can we ever repay them for helping us through this crisis?  The answer is we cannot, at least not to the extent they deserve.  We can send them our thanks.  Thank you nurses, doctors, first responders, and everyone else who offer help and compassion to the more than 12 million who have been infected.

Service workers.  Every time we visit the grocery store, we are thankful to those who make daily sacrifices to keep the food supply chain working.  Given that it is impossible to protect oneself totally from infection, the people at the cash register and who bag our groceries are heroes.

Dr. Fauci.  Our candidate for Time Magazine’s Person of the Year is Dr. Anthony Fauci. We consider him part of our personal medical team. Tony, thank you.

Food banks.  It is not easy watching lines of 400 to 500 cars waiting in line for food.  It is a lot harder if you are in one of them.  Fortunately, there are food banks and emergency distributions of food to our neighbors who need it. We all should be grateful for this.  Of course, much more needs to be done.  The food banks are but a temporary measure.  We need to get another stimulus bill passed and money out to those who need it.  In the interim, thank you food banks and everyone behind them.

My neighbors following the CDC guidelines.  All of us should be afraid of the virus. Unfortunately, not all of us are, which makes leaving one’s home a risky venture.  Fortunately, most are following the CDC guidelines on face masks, social distancing, and handwashing.  To all in that majority—thank you.   

Voters.  The 2020 elections were brutal. We learned a lot about ourselves, both positive and negative.  One of the positive takeaways from the election is that we voted in record numbers–a confirmation of faith in our democracy. Everyone who voted, even if they voted for the “wrong” candidate, should be thanked.

The election outcome. Although all are not happy that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will take office in January, their election means, among other things, that addressing climate change will again be a national priority.  Given predictions that the entire Spy readership area could be under water in less than 100 years, we are grateful for the election of leaders who want to prevent that.  Enough said.

Governor Hogan. During the pandemic, every state needs a level-headed, no-nonsense leader who rises to the challenges faced by current crises. Fortunately, Maryland has such a leader in our governor, Larry Hogan.  His sound advice has saved the lives of hundreds of Marylanders and made us proud.  If every state had a governor like Hogan, we would not be looking at more than 260,000 deaths nationally. Thank you, Governor Hogan.

Spy Media.  Our community is blessed with a resource that makes us unique—Spy Media. We are grateful every day at 3 PM when our Daily Intelligence Report arrives.  Thank you, Dave Wheelan for making it happen. And thank you to all who support The Spy via contributions and by simply being regular readers.  (Personal note, we would be thankful for The Spy even if we did not write for it.)

A safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving to all.

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy. Maria Grant served as Principal-in-Charge of the Federal Human Capital practice of Deloitte Consulting. Since her retirement from Deloitte, she has focused on writing, the piano, reading, travel, gardening and nature. 

 

The Thanksgiving of Health by Steve Parks

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Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. My fondest wish for you is a safe holiday with your loved ones–however many or few they may be. If your children are school-age and they’re at home every day, learning online instead of in class, you may be sick–or at least weary–of seeing them constantly.

And that’s OK. They’ll be at the table for Thanksgiving.

“Sick,” of course, is just a euphemism in this case. The last thing in the world you want for you or any of your loved ones is to become ill. It may happen because of an undiagnosed and/or asymptomatic virus one of your guests, either a friend (maybe your niece’s current flame?) or a family member may pass on innocently, but with just as deadly effect.

I know, it’s a total bummer. But way less of a bummer than if the worst were to happen to anyone you love dearly and whose life you may have saved by disinviting them or yourselves to a traditional Thanksgiving ‘gorgy.’ (As in platter-sharing gorge fest.)

My wife Elizabeth and I have disinvited our children to Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday. It will be the first time in their 30 and 34 years, respectively, of sharing time on this planet with us that we will fail to share Thanksgiving as a family. Our story is not incredibly unique, though the reasons for our choice to abridge the sharing of an in-person Turkey Day together may be more mortally relevant than others.

It can be said that both Liz and I have what are widely regarded as “underlying conditions” that make us more susceptible to serious illness or death by way of COVID-19. I had a heart attack about 13 years ago and was diagnosed a year later with atrial fibrillation. However, I’ve never acknowledged its severity because my heart has been beating with constant irregularity for as long as I can remember. (It’s been broken, too. But that’s another story: Remind me some time, it’s pretty funny.)

My wife, however, has Stage 5 kidney disease. If she wasn’t imminently in line for a kidney transplant, she’d need surgery that would enable her to undergo dialysis two or three times a week. Our son, who turns 35 in December, and daughter, who turns 31 the same month, failed tests as donors for Liz. However, our daughter, Rachel, with a relatively universal blood type, qualifies as a “paired” donor whose kidney will save the life of a recipient whose volunteer partner will donate his or her kidney to Elizabeth and, ultimately, save her life.

So, as you can see, for any of us to risk infections that disqualify Rachel as a donor or her mother as a recipient would be intolerably stupid and reckless. We hope and trust that the paired donors matched to Rachel and Elizabeth have as safe a Thanksgiving as we expect to enjoy, virtually.

I’ve been tracking the care package Liz prepared for our children–a loaf of cranberry bread and a baking pan of brownies. We will set a table for ourselves–just Liz and me–along with place settings with our best china and silverware for our absent children. We’ll also pour wine into crystal glasses at their settings–red, white, or sparkling, according to their choice–for a virtual Zoom Thanksgiving toast.

It’s the best we–or anyone in our circumstance–can do.

Thanksgiving menu footnote: Because our celebratory feast is just for two, the main course will be duck. We would be eating turkey till Christmas–when we’ll also miss our children who no longer expect Santa to slide down the chimney. In any case, Liz and I both favor dark meat. So, our Thanksgiving will be ducky, if a bit sparse in family company.

Never mind. We’ll drink an extra toast to our family’s health.

Steve Parks is a writer, husband, and father of two children, one living in Brooklyn and the other in Long Island. Steve and Liz, both retired and living in Easton, dearly miss Tyler, Rachel, and their grandson, Matthew.

 

Lighten the Load, Thanksgiving 2020 by Al Sikes

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How are your shoulders holding up? The world on the eve of Thanksgiving, 2020, is heavy. So too was the world of 1621; the world of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag who were trying to cope with their intrusion. Be thankful if you have strong shoulders!

Weight is better when it can be shared. We gather when we lose a loved one to share grief, to recall stories of the good times and, if we are fortunate enough to believe there is a transcendent life, to share hope.

Thanksgiving, 2020 arrives with threats. Do you have loved ones who are old? They are more susceptible to Covid-19’s worst outcomes. Or, do you live in a family that is divided by politics? Or, how hard is the economy—my job—going to be hit in this second wave of the pandemic? And if I own the business, will it survive?

My guess is that thanks are often aligned with the present, with circumstances in our lives. When our lives are going well then we are thankful—so let’s get together and have a party. 

But I, like many of you, keep coming back to Thanksgivings past. I can recall driving my family of five through a snow storm on two lane roads to celebrate with my parents, 220 miles away. We had to pack carefully to leave room for the diaper pail (look it up).  My guess is our risk of trouble was much higher than today’s exposure to Covid-19. I don’t say this to minimize today’s risk, but to add an exclamation point to the essence of Thanksgiving, the need to gather together with family and friends. 

Our family always gave thanks to the transcendent. We thanked God for our blessings—our lives, our loves and the opportunities we enjoyed as Americans. There was, as well, an implicit understanding that as we shared the weight of disappointments and losses our common humanity and hope lessened the burdens. And I can recall the smiles and stories as we passed around photo albums of Thanksgivings past. 

So I would pray for a transcendent Thanksgiving, 2020. That our many customs and traditions would point toward hope for tomorrow. Hopefulness can shoulder a much heavier weight and today we need to lighten the load. Happy Thanksgiving!

Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al recently published Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books. 

The Joy of Gratitude by Angela Rieck

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I am researching another piece on COVID 19, but looking at my publication date, I realized that a timelier piece would be about this holiday.

My spiritual practice (which is a fancy way of saying prayer), is to light a candle before sunrise and reflect on what I am grateful for.  It is a great way for me to focus on the positives in my life. (Although I will admit in my more grumpy or anxious mornings, it is a short recitation.)  I have also found that I have to discipline myself not to suggest an improvement (for example, “I am grateful for the sunshine of this morning, but it would be EVEN BETTER if it were warmer.”)  As we used to say in business, everything before the “but” is bull*&%!.

This practice makes it easy to write a column about gratitude on Thanksgiving.

Here is a partial list:

  • I am grateful for the warm and loving embrace of my family. I walk taller, I smile more, knowing that anytime things get rough, I can find peace and joy in the warm cocoon of their unconditional love.
  • I am grateful for my daughter, who has blossomed into a beautiful spirit, incorporating all her father’s best traits. Her father would be proud.
  • I am grateful for past loves, past joys, memories, past mistakes, and past mentors who have guided me.
  • I am grateful to have known and loved those people and animals that I have lost.
  • I am grateful for my friends, new and longtime, all of whom I can depend upon at anytime and who allow me to give the same support in return.
  • I am grateful for this election, which will bring stability to the White House. I am especially grateful to those who voted for the country over their personal agenda; and others who refuse to be sucked into baseless conspiracy theories about the electoral system when their candidate didn’t win.
  • I am grateful for my furry COVID companions, who seem to be unphased by the pandemic.
  • I am grateful for health care workers, transportation personnel, teachers, and all those who put themselves at risk to save others and keep the country going.
  • I am grateful for science and the scientists who have been working tirelessly to save us.
  • I am grateful for technology that allows us to remain close even when we cannot be.
  • I am grateful for citizens who do their part to curtail the spread of the disease.
  • But most of all, I am grateful for people with open hearts, who think of what to give before they consider what to receive. Every one of you is a blessing and may your hearts be overflowing with gifts of love.

It is not a bad list for such a terrible year.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

Blinken and Other Foreign Policy Nominees: A Great Start for Biden by J.E. Dean

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President-elect Biden’s announcement of major foreign policy appointees this week is a cause for celebration. The list is headed by Antony Blinken, a former Deputy Secretary of State and Deputy National Security Advisor. Also included is the appointment of former Secretary of State John Kerry, who will serve as a “Climate Envoy” on the National Security Council. Other appointments include career diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield as Ambassador to the UN and Jake Sullivan as National Security Advisor. All are great appointments. 

The most important of the appointees is that of Secretary of State. Mr. Blinken’s appointment will restore morale at the Department which has suffered under Secretaries Tillerson and Pompeo. So bad were the Trump years at State that some have speculated permanent damage was done to the Department and its vitally important Foreign Service.

Perhaps it is unnecessary to review the Trump legacy at the Department, but the Biden appointments can be viewed as medicine to apply to the injuries his predecessor wrought. 

Former Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson was a disaster.  Eliot A. Cohen of The Atlantic described him as “a debacle, pure and simple, the worst Secretary of State in living memory (and there has been serious competition) not because of ineptitude, but because of the semi-intentional demolition job he was doing on his own Department even as he fell out of presidential favor.” 

Once Tillerson was fired, via tweet, by Trump, Mike Pompeo continued to undermine the State Department. After promising to restore the “swagger” of the Department and fill dozens of vacant positions, Pompeo did neither. As the Washington Post noted, “Scores of senior positions and ambassadorships remain vacant or filled by acting officials, including 11 of the Assistant Secretary and Undersecretary posts whose occupants typically are the workhorses of U.S. diplomacy.” 

It should surprise nobody that the foreign service welcomes the Biden nominees. All four come from the foreign policy establishment and have served in high-level positions in the past. No on-the-job learning need happen here. All these appointments are likely to see career foreign service officers and diplomats as assets, not obstacles.

Senate approval of the nominees is likely.  Each of them may be evidence of Biden’s intention to work in a bipartisan manner. Republicans, with the possible exceptions of Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and a few others, will have difficulty finding reasons to justify a “no” vote. Expect approval shortly after Inauguration Day.

All nominees have extensive experience in government, making them “known commodities” who will be welcomed by career diplomats and foreign policy experts. Around the globe, they also will be viewed as welcome indicators of stability. Little research will be needed to determine where any of these appointees stand on key issues.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the appointment of former Secretary of State John Kerry as Climate Envoy. Democrats applauded the selection, and undoubtedly the rest of the world will see this appointment as a sign that the U.S. is once again serious about addressing climate change. Because of his previous reputation at the Department of State, Kerry’s appointment will be welcomed among diplomats. And, in the process, Biden will have an experienced former Secretary of State on his team to help reverse many of Trump’s policies.

Hey Joe, any possibility of tapping Hillary for a similar special envoy position?  Maybe after Trump finally concedes?

All appointees are also likely to work well with the President. Blinken worked with Biden both as a Senate Foreign Relations Committee staffer and while Biden was Vice-President. Jake Sullivan has similar experience.

All of nominees are likely to be loyal, more interested in promoting the new administration’s success than furthering their careers. This will be a sharp contrast to the Trump team, which featured several appointees with presidential aspirations (Ivanka Trump, Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley, and Jared Kushner).

As is inevitable, not everyone will share my excitement over the Biden nominations. Republicans may bemoan movement away from the “America First” policies of Trump, including his Muslim ban and conflicts with longtime allies. But some disagreement also may come from within the Democratic party. Progressives are likely to express disappointment that more progressive people were not chosen. Some may even question Biden’s propensity to compromise, something seen as a negative in the face of challenges like climate change.

Stay tuned.

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.

 

 

 

 

Out and About (Sort of): The Out and About (Sort of): National Security Threat by Howard Freedlander

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If you believe, as I do, that military strength is paramount for peace, then petulance is the worst prescription. For that reason, the president’s childish refusal until yesterday to allow President-elect Joe Biden and his advisers access to national security briefings is dangerously foolish.

I am extremely concerned that Donald Trump’s obsession with overturning the plebiscite on Nov. 3, and hindering the normal access for a president-elect and his/her transition team to top-secret information about the world’s trouble spots invites aggression and weakens Biden’s grasp of foreign affairs, just as he ascends to the presidency.

Understanding that few things have been normal, or even rational about this administration’s actions the past four years, I still held out hope that Trump might be concerned about the country’s ability to react to an international crisis after Jan. 20, 2021. He’s not. I shouldn’t have been surprised.

Trump cares hardly a whit about our nation’s domestic and foreign stability. His primary focus is himself.

I’m paranoid enough to believe that Russia and China are savoring the chaos and confusion in the United States. Our weakness is a narcotic to these two countries. Bad actors proficient in terrorism must be considering their moves in light of our country’s currently incompetent leadership and undemocratic transition,

I would be courting hyperbole to say I have trouble sleeping at night worrying about possible acts of aggression by our primary opponents. What’s not fanciful is my fear of a potential probe of our conventional and cyberspace defenses.

Under this hapless administration, the Defense Department is in disarray. The commander-in-chief, like a tin pot autocrat/dictator, is purging the top civilians for displaying insufficient loyalty—and integrity. An agency that performs excellently during a crisis requires informed and capable civilian leadership.

I realize that national security is not the only essential government service suffering from neglect by our irresponsible White House occupant and his unwillingness until yesterday to grant access during a critical transition.

So is the battle against Covid, global warming, homeland security, economic stimulus and many other government functions that do not improve with negligence. Democrats and Republicans alike yearn for a stable democracy and respected leadership.

Trump continues to worship at the altar of vengeance, paranoia and selfishness. It’s pathetic. It stymies a necessarily and customarily smooth transfer of power.

Prior to the election, a pro-Trump reader wondered what I would write about once the president was defeated. I was curious how he knew the result before all the voters exercised their right to record their selection. After the votes came in, with former vice president Biden the declared winner, I naively thought that the bizarre behavior of our 45th president might end., or at least subside. All of us could focus on the future and the badly needed upgrade of American leadership. Instead, we continue to observe, painfully so, the president’s trampling of democracy in his pursuit of denial and denigration of the election process.

Past failure to grant access to classified information about the world’s trouble spot invites harmful behavior by bad actors who roam the world stage determined to wreak havoc amid weakness and distraction. It’s frightening.

Strength as represented by a U.S. military and led by an attentive commander-in-chief can deter deadly aggression. Living in limbo is unsettling and perilous.

I so wish I could opine about a thoughtful and sensible White House. It’s currently impossible and unrealistic.

 

 

 

Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. In retirement, Howard serves on the boards of several non-profits on the Eastern Shore, Annapolis and Philadelphia.

 

 

 

The Best of It by Jamie Kirkpatrick

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Thanksgiving—the holiday now more formally known as Black Friday Eve—is almost upon us. This year, however, a traditional Thanksgiving celebration would likely make even Norman Rockwell cringe. No grandparents or hardly any family gathered around a groaning board, just a tiny frozen turkey and only a sorry side or two. Sigh. I imagine the wee wife and I will be dining entre nous on simple fare while contemplating how to legally loot our local box store. Virtually, of course, unless we get really crazy and opt for contactless curbside pickup.

Back in the day (What day was that? Tuesday? Saturday? Who can tell the difference anymore?), Thanksgiving was a big deal. It was warm and friendly, relatively uncommercial, touch football and turkey, then the real thing—the NFL: the Detroit Lions playing somebody. That was a far cry from the first Thanksgiving, that fairytale feast when John and Goodwife Priscilla invited Squanto and his mates over for a gala dinner. (Given the history of the white settlement of this continent, I’ve grown so skeptical of this version of the story that I’m almost loathe to perpetuate it here; think of it as but a momentary literary device.) As the years rolled by, our Thanksgiving fantasies gathered strength until, as recently as just last year, a President who is best known for firing people, stunningly agreed to do something that his evil predecessor did: he pardoned some turkeys. But this year, it’s different; I’m told he may choose to slaughter the poor birds and pardon himself!

But I digress. This year, there’s an uninvited guest at our tables, one who looks like Shrek and acts even worse. Institutions as august as the CDC are pleading with us not to invite Uncle Ned and Aunt Polly and our cousins from Winnetka and, instead, stay within our own impermeable little family bubbles. For the wee wife who has eight siblings and countless nieces, nephews, and in-laws, the CDC guidelines almost amount to a death sentence which is exactly what it would be if we followed tradition and went to someone’s house with forty-three of our closest relatives. Sorry, honey, not this year.

The question then becomes, “How should we celebrate Thanksgiving this year?” I have a friend in town, a gracious restaurateur who annually provides a free feast at his fine establishment to those in need, who must be asking himself that very question. It’s a conundrum, for sure. Celebrating family and friends without either present poses a problem that even the most altruistic among us finds difficult to solve. It’s hard to pass the dinner rolls to one’s self.

Well, as the saying goes, we’ll get through this, but honestly, that’s pretty thin gruel on this year’s Thanksgiving table. Still, if we really are to slay the beast, we must respect it enough to practice delaying the gratification of even our most hallowed traditions. I’m not suggesting that we dispense with Thanksgiving all together this year, let’s just Zoom it. And when Uncle Ned spills gravy down the front of his shirt, politely look away and make the best of it, the way you always do.

I’ll be right back.

Jamie Kirkpatrick is a writer and photographer who lives in Chestertown. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Washington College Alumni Magazine, and American Cowboy Magazine. Two collections of his essays (“Musing Right Along” and “I’ll Be Right Back”) are available on Amazon. Jamie’s website is www.musingjamie.com

Snapshots of Daily Life: Bumping by George Merrill

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In this coronavirus era, bumping’s a way of life.

Recently I saw a doctor. I’d never met him before. As I sat waiting in the examining room he came in and greeted me by name. He was outfitted like people I’ve seen working in nuclear plants, covered head to foot in some kind of coverall. He looked, at first glance, as if he were in a diving suit. The doctor wore a mask over his mouth and a clear plastic face protector which reminded me of the facial guards we see on welders. As formidable as his presence appeared –– extra-terrestrial, I thought –– I instinctively put out my hand to shake his, while he extended his to shake mine.

We barely touched before each of us suddenly withdrew our hands. It was as if we had just touched a hot stove or felt an electrical charge. For a second or two, we both stood there awkwardly. Then the doctor raised his elbow, signaling he was about make the proper elbow bump greeting. We bumped amicably.

It was a curious meeting. I described my complaint. I told him how my aging infrastructure was malfunctioning and giving me a fit. He listened very intently and patiently as I described my symptoms. With all of his paraphernalia on I could see little of his face. Facial expressions are one of the signature gestures we make in communicating our feelings or intentions to others. I could only see his eyes, but without seeing them in the context of an entire face, I could see no expressions. I felt treated well throughout the interview and thought that he was competent to address my complaint. Something about the consultation had still left me feeling tentative; I think it was because I never saw his face or shook his hand. He may just as well have been a robot, albeit a kindly and helpful one.

He reminded me of clips I’d seen of first responders in action.

I remember watching scenes from New York City when, at an assigned time of day, people lowered their windows in high rise buildings, leaned out to clap and cheer for first responders and those who were a part of the medical teams. Even the least acknowledged persons in the work chain, the janitors who cleaned the hospital room floors, because of the risks they we’re taking for us, we recognized as heroes along with doctors and nurses. In my lifetime, to see this kind of grateful recognition for public service is unusual, except perhaps for the military. The recognition of support personnel brought to mind the biblical phrase where God, who loves the poor and disenfranchised, is said to lift up the lives of the humble: “and the lowly shall be exalted.” When it’s all in, everyone counts.

I have thought how PPE (personal protective equipment) that medical personnel must wear to avoid infection has, in a metaphorical way, reflected the prevailing social climate of mutual distrust that’s been plaguing us for some time. It’s as if we are not neighbors anymore –– not fellow Americans –– but have become potential threats to each other from which we must protect ourselves. The recent political leadership actively provoked this distrust of others at a time when, more than ever, we needed to lean on each other. This pitting Americans against one another, the physical threat the pandemic poses, and the protections it has required, have combined to foster our present atmosphere of fear and distrust.

Recently, Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris won the election. It did little to mitigate the virulence of the coronavirus or the country’s troubled psyche. However, I did see encouraging aspects of their election.

President elect Biden is by reputation a team player. He does not appear defensive in acknowledging what he doesn’t know. I believe he is as much of a truth teller as is possible for anybody in that office where every word and syllable uttered undergoes public scrutiny and gets obsessively parsed on cable channels. He doesn’t exhibit compulsive ego needs. As such, he is psychologically free to surround himself with the best expertise to help him guide and direct national policies. My sense is that Biden enjoys working collegially, and actually likes people. I’m sure he enjoys the power and control the office of the presidency confers –– he has been a professional politician his whole life, after all –– but I believe he is less driven by the darker sides of power needs than we’ve seen in the last administration.

I see another hopeful sign, at least for now. Apparently, it was important for many Republicans to make a statement by joining the president in not conceding the election, insisting that “every ballot” be counted, even crying ‘foul.’ Having made the statement, some of them have begun to say they are satisfied to get on with it and start the next chapter of American life. I felt a sense of relief.

But about my visit to the doctor? He told me that I must take better care of my body. My toxic habits have done damage over the years. In a similar way, the recent election revealed to all who would listen that our nation’s health had been seriously jeopardized. The body politic has been abused. Still, as bad as they are, old habits die hard.

The doctor recommended that I change some of my old habits, with particular regard to exercise and diet. The thought of surrendering my old habits –– some I’m really invested in like food and remaining inert –– was painful. After the doctor made his recommendations, I winced discreetly. He told me to come back in December for a follow up. As I left, we bumped elbows, amicably.

Columnist George Merrill is an Episcopal Church priest and pastoral psychotherapist. A writer and photographer, he’s authored two books on spirituality: Reflections: Psychological and Spiritual Images of the Heart and The Bay of the Mother of God: A Yankee Discovers the Chesapeake Bay. He is a native New Yorker, previously directing counseling services in Hartford, Connecticut, and in Baltimore. George’s essays, some award winning, have appeared in regional magazines and are broadcast twice monthly on Delmarva Public Radio.

 

A Toast to America’s Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff by Maria Grant

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I am loving the idea of the first “second gentleman” of the United States.  And I think Doug Emhoff is the perfect man to fill that role. Here’s why. 

Emhoff, a 56-year-old Jewish lawyer, appears to be totally comfortable in his own skin.  Unthreatened by Kamala Harris’s success, he supports her 100 percent. It’s the most refreshing attitude ever. It’s also refreshing that he is only two weeks older than she is—no 24-year difference here! (Emhoff also will be the first second spouse to have a surname differing from the Vice President.)

When Harris was running for president, Emhoff became good friends with the other spouses of fellow candidates, especially Pete Buttigieg’s spouse Chasten.  He came off as a genuinely nice guy with a great sense of humor. When Harris gave up her race for president, Emhoff’s tweet, “I’ve got you.  As always” went viral.  He has been there for her in defeat and success. 

When Harris was nominated for Vice President, Emhoff was thrilled.  He campaigned sometimes with her, sometimes without her, and sometimes with Jill Biden.  He seemed to enjoy all roles—extolling her virtues and explaining why she was the right woman for the job.  His campaign stops included LGBT venues and Jewish venues, and his rising popularity earned him more than 600,000 Twitter followers.

Emhoff took a leave of absence from his job when Biden appointed Harris as his running mate and plans to resign formally from DLA Piper where he has worked since 2017 to take the second gentleman role full-time. Obviously, women have been quitting their jobs to follow their men for ages, so there is a certain irony in his doing so receiving such fanfare. Still he seems excited about the opportunity and jazzed about being able to make a difference.  

One of Emhoff’s roles will be to convene lunches for the senators’ spouses. That should prove to be interesting material.  I can’t help but recall the brouhaha regarding Hillary when she was asked about her high-powered career when Clinton was running in the Democratic primary.  Hillary responded, “You know I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was to fulfill my profession which I entered before my husband was in public life.”  The uproar was immediate. Her comments were considered derogatory towards stay-at-home moms and catapulted her into controversy.

Emhoff has announced that since he is a lawyer and familiar with the judicial system, he will make one of his major initiatives criminal justice reform, ensuring access to justice and legal representation for all.  

Kamala is friends with Emhoff’s first wife, Kerstin Emhoff, a filmmaker and head of Prettybird, a production company which she co-founded. Harris also claims to have great relationships with Emhoff’s two children, Cole and Ella, named after jazz legends John Coltrane and Ella Fitzgerald. Such camaraderie needs to be commended in today’s world of vitriol-spreading banter among exes.  Harris has described their modern family as “almost a little too functional.”

When asked by a nine-year- old boy in an online “Ask a Grown-up” session what he plans to do, Emhoff replied, “I’m going to support her because it’s really important for men and even young boys to support the strong and wonderful women in their lives, and I’m going to do that, and I hope you do that too.” 

My case rests. Having an evolved non-threatened man as second gentleman is a gift indeed.  Let’s hear it for the evolved male. God knows, the world needs more of them.    

Maria Grant was Principal-in-Charge of the Federal Human Capital practice of Deloitte Consulting. Since her retirement, she has focused on writing, piano, travel, gardening, and nature.